While board games are common, the present invention combines unusual board game features and provides an exciting and fun game designed for the maximum enjoyment by players of varying ages. The game apparatus, designed for attractiveness, utility of use, and inherent educational value, comprises a first group of tiles or playing pieces, which are lettered and subdivided by indicia of color and a second group of tiles or playing pieces which are colorless (white for example). While the white tiles cannot represent a color, they serve every other purpose of a letter tile. The game board is divided into two sections, comprising an upper section and a lower section. The upper section receives tiles for forming words which are scored, while the lower section serves as a crib for letters which are discarded as words. Each player is represented by the color alphabet set selected before the game. While scoring takes place in the upper section of the game board through the winning of colorwords, the upper and lower sections of the game board are equally important. Play normally takes place in both sections during a single turn, and some or all of the letters drawn by the player in his turn may be substituted for letters in the lower section in order to acquire particular color letters.
The object of the game is to form colorwords for score in the upper section. A colorword is always begun with the letters of a player's own color. During succeeding turns the players may add letters of any color before or after the word provided a word continues to be formed. When no further letters can be added to a colorword, the player whose color letters outnumber those of any other color wins the word. Other outcomes are possible when extending a colorword. An opposing player may "steal" the colorword by adding a greater number of his own color letters. Also, a colorword may be neutralized if there is an equal number of letters of 2 or more colors, and no more letters can be added. In such a case, the word may not be scored. The lower section, or crib, has three functions. The first function is the discarding of letters in the form of a word, or words. The second function of the crib is to be a letter pool. A letter drawn by a player may be substituted for a letter in a crib word provided a word remains in the crib. Thirdly, a letter from the player's rack may substitute for the same letter of a different color in the cribword. Although scoring only takes place in the upper section through the winning of colorwords, the upper and lower sections are each important in the play. Play normally takes place in both sections during a single turn. Some or all of the letters drawn by a player in his turn may be substituted for letters in cribwords in order to acquire particular color letters, all as described in more detail hereinafter. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, there is associated with the gameboard a randomized playing piece or tile selector holder for each player.
A desirable object of the present invention is to provide a new or improved board game apparatus.
A still further desirable object is to provide a board game designed for maximum enjoyment by players.
A still further desirable object of the present invention is to provide an improved board game where words are controlled by a color factor.
A further desirable object of the present invention is to provide an improved board game which provides for release of playing pieces not in play.
A still further desirable object of the invention, is to provide a game board which provides for more challenging options and maximizes use of playing pieces beyond random drawing.
A still further desirable object of the invention is to provide a board game designed for utility of use, inherent educational value, and which is esthetically pleasing to the players.